


Why Don't I Know You?

by Mintstream



Series: Penny Parker Febuwhump 2021 [8]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Female Peter Parker, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:01:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29365188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mintstream/pseuds/Mintstream
Summary: "Watch out on your right."Penny rolled her eyes at her dad's warning, swinging and avoiding the robot easily as it came up behind her. She grabbed it with a web, pulling it close and punching the thing into oblivion. She flipped and whooped as she did, much to Pops' dismay. Said man came tumbling by in his bright red and gold super suit, allowing for her to web to the suit and fling herself higher into the air and gain a better vantage point.Her parents were usually pretty freaked out about her joining on missions, but it was something they were getting used to ever since she'd joined them in the fight that ended the Avengers. Of course, they hadn't known it was her at the time, but Pop had found out when she'd been knocked into those crates, after Dad had woken up from his spinal surgery, he'd been told too.Needless to say they'd been freaked out, but honestly, everything had progressed relatively well. The teenager had a stronger relationship with her parents than ever, and though things had been a little broken since the Rogues had left, they were okay. They'd always been okay, and Pop had assured they always would be.Day 12: "Who are you?"Day 24: Memory Loss
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Penny Parker Febuwhump 2021 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114535
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	Why Don't I Know You?

"Watch out on your right."

Penny rolled her eyes at her dad's warning, swinging and avoiding the robot easily as it came up behind her. She grabbed it with a web, pulling it close and punching the thing into oblivion. She flipped and whooped as she did, much to Pops' dismay. Said man came tumbling by in his bright red and gold super suit, allowing for her to web to the suit and fling herself higher into the air and gain a better vantage point.

Her parents were usually pretty freaked out about her joining on missions, but it was something they were getting used to ever since she'd joined them in the fight that ended the Avengers. Of course, they hadn't known it was her at the time, but Pop had found out when she'd been knocked into those crates, after Dad had woken up from his spinal surgery, he'd been told too.

Needless to say they'd been freaked out, but honestly, everything had progressed relatively well. The teenager had a stronger relationship with her parents than ever, and though things had been a little broken since the Rogues had left, they were okay. They'd always been okay, and Pop had assured they always would be.

Dad hurtled by her, his gray armor glinting as he shot a drone out of the air that had been barreling towards her. The armor's face turned to look at her, a stern voice warning, "Be careful. We _will_ bench you."

"I'm always careful."

"Lying can get you grounded!!" Pops called through the comms.

"You wouldn't dare," she grinned.

"Try us," her dad joked. Now, her dad wasn't _actually_ her dad. Quite a few homophobes had told her that before, but right now she meant it more as she wasn't relate to him. If you looked at the two of them, you'd be crazy to think they were. No, Penny was related to her Pops (she'd used to call him Papa, but now the childish name was reserved for small moments and the worries of nightmares. Dad had of course used to be Dada). Her Dada had always been in the picture though. They still weren't married yet, but they were engaged. Pops wore the ring.

She smiled, diving back down and bouncing off of a drone, the force throwing it into another one, where they both exploded in a rain of metal.

The fight went smoothly, the family of three--plus Vision--darting around the streets of New York overwhelmed with bots from villain of the week that they'd had to find out. She really wanted to know what power source they were using, it was a startling entrancing yellow that she often had to force herself to not focus on.

She should have paid more attention to the yellow.

Penny had been struggling with a few of the weirdly glowing robots, dipping and dodging between them, when one caught her on the shoulder. It was a bright yellow beam, but when it clipped to her shoulder, it stayed. And it _burned._

A scream ripped involuntarily through her throat, painful as she instinctively gripped at her shoulder, dropping through the air quickly. Too quickly, as Pops noticed. Iron Man flipped in the air, careening through the air as he raced towards her in an attempt to catch the girl.

Everything went by so fast she couldn't tell what had happened. One moment the world was sharp pain and the whooshing of air as she zipped through the air, hurtling towards the ground. There were screams--a pained one from Pops and a terrified one from Dad--and then she smacked against the ground.

She grunted at the pain, all the air in her chest forced out as she wheezed. Her shoulder still burned, but the worst of it was over, and she managed to pick herself up off the ground, shaking her head and blinking furiously at a dizzying wave that swam across her vision. She forced herself to her feet, her heart stuttering in fearful confusion as all the drones turned and fled.

Maybe not _fled._ There was no hurry or panic to the enemy's movements. They were just-- _leaving,_ like it was no big deal. She narrowed her eyes, turning as she tried to figure out what had happened. Her heart dropped as she suddenly remembered the screams.

* * *

The steady stream of beeping, a blink of clarity in a sea of yellow, is what woke Tony. He blinked his eyes awake, his head banging and his eyes screwed up in painful confusion. Thankfully, after a few blinks, the yellow tinting faded away, and the world looked normal once again. But it was in no way familiar.

Tony sat up, grunting at the pain that groaned in his back and the ache in his head, and scanning the room in front of him. It was clearly medical, but it was ridiculously homey. Multiple plants sat in red and blue pots around the room, leafy green and purple flowers beginning to bloom. Large chairs were placed around either side of the medical bed he sat in. A weathered leather couch sat in the corner of the room, fleece blankets and comfy looking pillows thrown on top.

As well as a teenage girl.

Tony blinked, sitting up straighter as he stared at her in confusion. She was fast asleep, her curly hair, cut into a French bob, covering most of her face as she snored softly. He stared at her for a few more seconds before giving up. Nothing about her seemed familiar, so he swung his feet over the bed, located the door, and left the room.

The hallway wasn't much better. But at least there wasn't a teenager, so there was that.

"Left or right?" he muttered to himself.

"Colonel Rhodes is in room 1107. To your left, sir."

Tony glanced up at the voice in the ceiling, his eyes narrowing. She seemed similar to Jarvis, though it clearly wasn't. And Colonel? Things weren't making sense. And when you were Tony Stark, things needed to make sense, and if they didn't he figured it out.

So, he followed the voices instruction, checking the numbers on the doors until he came across 1107. He didn't bother knocking, instead just walking in. The muffled conversation he'd been listening to had disappeared by the time he made his way through the door, the only words he could make out was "memory" before all conversation ceased.

Tony's eyes widened as he took in the occupents of the room. One was unfamiliar but strangely dressed in a dark red cloak with a sharp goatee and sat and pepper hair. The other was Rhodey. But it wasn't. This Rhodey was, well, he wasn't _old,_ but he was old- _er._ His hair was still short, but it had lost its ebony dark color, instead beginning to turn gray. Wrinkles sat under his eyes, which looked at Tony with shock and worry, and laugh lines surrounded his lips.

"Tony," Rhodey said, a scold in his voice, "What are you doing out of bed? And where's Penny?"

"Who?" Tony said, Rhodey and the eyes of the cloaked man widened. After a moment he said, "Was that the kid on the couch?"

"Was that--" Rhodey repeated, his voice a whisper. He stared at Tony a second longer before whirling to look at the weird cosplay-looking guy, "This is reversible right? Whatever happened? He's going to be okay?"

"I don't know," the man shrugged, "Whoever was behind those drones definitely wanted for this to happen. It's an unknown spell, as far as I know anyway. I'll come back with an answer until I find one, but until I do, you're stuck with Amnesia Stark."

"Amnes-- Would anyone like to tell me _what_ is going on?" Tony asked. The man rolled his eyes, walking past Tony with an arrogant air and slipping out the door. Tony turned back to Rhodey. "Tell me _I_ don't act like that."

Rhodey didn't laugh, instead, he took a deep breath. He readied himself.

"So, I have amnesia?" Tony asked, raising a brow. Rhodey nodded. "Fun. What year is it?"

"2016."

"Wowee. I think I'm at--1999 over here."

Rhodey clasped his palms together, pressing them to his lips. Tony furrowed his brows. He didn't like seeing his friend so upset.

"Mind filling me in on what I missed?"

"It's a lot."

"I've got time. Until Mr. Wizard Guy fixes whatever this is."

"You know he's a wizard?"

Tony blinked, "Okay _now_ you're pulling my leg. Right?" Rhodey didn't answer. Tony pointed at him, "I don't believe you, but moving on. Who's the kid? Patricia?"

"Penny," Rhodey corrected, "She's your daughter. Well, she's _our_ daughter."

_That_ Tony didn't know how to respond to. It was a little much. His entire body clamped shut, confused and overwhelmed. _Daughter. OUR daughter._

A quick glance at his hand revealed a ring that he somehow had missed, wrapped around his finger as though it had always been there. He glanced back up at Rhodey, his mouth agape and his heart aflutter, "What? I don't--"

Rhodey explained. He explained _a lot._ About a night with a woman that had brought Tony his kid. About how they'd raised her together. About Iron Man and the Avengers and _everything._

Everything included falling in love, and Tony felt himself freeze. Despite the knowledge that he himself was forty and engaged with a kid, he felt himself stuck in his late twenties, because, well, that's what he was. He was stuck in his late twenties where he buried his feelings down deep because it hurt to have them. Because he'd been afraid he might lose his only friend if he told him how he felt. Because he knew what everyone else thought and what could happen to him. To the both of them.

Tony felt himself, and for a moment he couldn't move, and when his legs found it in themselves to move, they bolted. Out the door, down the hall, and right into Penny.

He almost ran right into her, even as he attempted to slow down, but at the last second, the teen moved out of his. She stared up at him and God she was so small and her eyes were so wide and he couldn't take care of a kid or--

"Pops?" Her voice was small and confused. She took a step towards him, reaching for his hand, but he snatched it away. Her brows furrowed. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Just--out of the way, kid," he ordered, moving to dart around her. He just needed out of this place. He needed to clear his head and try to understand.

"What--why? Are you okay, Pops?"

"Kid, _move."_

"Pops--"

Tony shoved past her, darting back down the hall and leaving the confused girl behind. Leaving Rhodey, who's footsteps pounded before stumbling against a wall. Tony looked back to see he'd fallen and that the teenager had stopped to help him, but he kept on moving.

Tony rushed out the door and into the streets of New York City.

He found himself lost in yellow.

**Author's Note:**

> eyo you gotta wait until day 24 for the next installment


End file.
